Master of Laws (International Law and Politics)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Wellington
Juggling a bourgeoning legal career and postgraduate study is surely a challenge, but for Amy the hard work has paid off as she has landed a dream job in the capital.
Amy was working full-time as an associate at the nationwide law firm Duncan Cotterill in their Christchurch office, where she specialised in commercial law. At the same time, she studied towards a Master of Laws in International Law and Politics, an area she is keen to specialise in.
"My new role at the Ministry is more reflective of the area I'm studying," she explains. "I'm looking forward to continuing to learn and gain a greater understanding of this area of practice."
Having completed her undergraduate law degree at the University of Otago, Amy landed a job at Woodward Toomey Lawyers in Christchurch after she completed her Professionals course. She then moved to Duncan Cotterill to gain greater experience in commercial law and because they could accommodate her time away for racing mountain bikes.
"Commercial law is a great area to work in. You gain quality legal skills and the ability to think from a commercial perspective. You also get to work with some amazing clients and that is probably what I've enjoyed the most – the range of interesting people that you are always interacting with."
UC was the natural choice for Amy's postgraduate studies.
"I chose UC for my master's because of its reputation and the subject offered. I didn't have a background in international law or politics, but I was really interested in both topics.
"I love the University's setting, and the great lecturers and supervisors that I have encountered while studying. They have all been enthusiastic and encouraging, which really helps."
Amy is a keen mountain biker and makes the most of any spare time she gets to get outside around Christchurch's many bike tracks. Her skills in the sport have been recognised in more ways than one.
"I used to race mountain bikes at a national and international level, and as a result I was awarded a Prime Minister's scholarship for my first year of university study."
Looking back at her time here, Amy says Canterbury is a great place to study, "not just for the University itself, but the region in general. And I can't recommend the LLM (International Law and Politics) highly enough."
